How can I "auto land" or autopilot a final approac

Pro Member First Officer
Heyjoojoo First Officer

Hello all,

I'm not a very skilled FSX pilot but I tinker a little with FSX's Flight Planner. I am pretty good at getting an airliner off the ground using Autopilot, reaching cruising alt, with little or no problem. However, I can't seem to land the aircraft on the runway. And I'm not talking about landing 5% off the runway, where a main gear wheel is in the grass and the other is on the runway. I cant get anywhere near the runway using straight flying and Autopilot off.

Is there a way to have the Autopilot or some other setting that will help guide or lock you in on a final approach? A tutorial on how to do land an airliner using autopilot (is there such a thing?)

Kareem

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Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain
Pro Member Chief Captain
Tailhook Chief Captain

Heyjoojoo wrote:

Is there a way to have the Autopilot or some other setting that will help guide or lock you in on a final approach? A tutorial on how to do land an airliner using autopilot (is there such a thing?)

Kareem

There is an in depth guide on how to use the AP in FSX in the Learning Center.
Go to the Index and look for Autopilot - Using.

Pro Member First Officer
Jim (jellrod) First Officer

..but...you use autopilot to TAKE OFF??

Pro Member First Officer
Heyjoojoo First Officer

no no no, it's just that I switch it on pretty soon after takeoff...

Pro Member First Officer
Heyjoojoo First Officer

Oh, okay I see now. (Sort of)

I followed the ILS approach tutorial that's listed in this forum (under General Section). Right after the part where the ATC gives the call for "...cleared ILS runway, altitude and localizer.", I check the destination airport to get the runway ILS settings. Then I set the CRS and turn on the NAV1 radio and set the runway frequency. The aircraft started heading away from the airport (or so it seemed) because when I checked the map, I was waaaaay off course. So, I assumed something had been set wrong. I heard the "clearance for land" call but nothing happened. I thought the plane was going to start heading toward the airport at that point. But it didn't. So, switched GPS/NAV switch to NAV then the jet suddenly headed toward the airport but it started circling... I believe it circled twice before I terminated the flight in my thinking that I had screwed something up.

Any suggestions? What did I miss?

Pro Member First Officer
Jim (jellrod) First Officer

You said you had the GPS selected. Did you set up the GPS for the approach? It may have had the Direct To still set up, which means if you followed ATC vectors to the approach, then selected the GPS while still in Autopilot, it would redirect you to the airport, not the approach runway. If you follow ATC up to the point where you are "Established" I would then slect NAV and APPR, that should fly the airplane right down the Glideslope and glidepth.

Pro Member First Officer
Heyjoojoo First Officer

I'm not sure if I had GPS set up...

I know that when I hear the a/c make the call for localizer, ILS runway, etc.., I check the map for the ILS information to plug into the CRS and I turn on the NAV1...

Someone else told me to switch the GPS to NAV. But not sure at what point...

Fustrated Guest

Hi,

I really enjoy reading all the posts and great advice on this forum, but I have a problem I seem to be unable to find a solution.

I have had all the FS editions that came out, last one was FS 2004, where I was able to do ILS Landings without any problem. Now I upgraded to FS X and even had to buy a hardcore gaming computer to get it to work since my Laptop didn't cut it graphiccard wise,.........and now it seems I turned into an idiot, since all the mechanics I used before don't seem to work at all.

I read Jon's Guide on the Heathrow approach, tried to do everything exact to the word, and failed miserably.

I entered the way to Heathrow in GPS and flew it up to 20 mls out with GPS, the I punched in course 93, Frequency 110.30 for runway 9L landing, switched from GPS to NAV, then activated APP for Aproach, and nothing happened, plane flew straight on, didn't sink, I can't even pull the glidepath visual help up, so that I could manualy fly through the hoops.

As i said I Crying or Very sad do all this in FS 2004 and no problem I get a visual glidepath, plane lands itself, APP aproach button pressed, plane turns in when it's supposed to be, I can basically fly and land ILS perfectly.

In FS X I can't and have no idea what's wrong or what I do different.

Maybe you guys can enlighten me. I am ready to quit .

Thanks a lot.

Take care.

JV

Pro Member First Officer
Jim (jellrod) First Officer

What was your altitude when you were 20 miles out? You could have been to high to intercept and establish yourself.

Pro Member First Officer
Heyjoojoo First Officer

I'm thinking that my problem is that I'm not pressing the Approach button. Seems that after reading several tutorials on this, posters will either write APP for Approach or APPR. But I kept thinking it was for Autopilot - kept being confused...

Pro Member First Officer
Jim (jellrod) First Officer

AH, yes, that will do it. AP ( AUtopilot) will continue to fly the airplane where ever you have the settings (HDG/ALT/SPD) Once you switch to NAV and press APPR - you allow the system to engage and follow the radio signals for glideslope and path. Caution - you must disengage the AP and AT after you cross the numbers or the AT (Autothrottle) will try to maintain speed.

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